Is Joby's Gorillatorch Switch a Lantern or a Headlamp?

Posted 10/28/2010 at 5:09am | by Paul Lilly

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The answer to our question is "both." Joby, a company you may recognize as the designer of the Gorillapod line of camera tripods, launched its Gorillatorch Switchback, a combination lantern/headlamp that uses LED lighting.

"We wanted to create a lighting product that encourages strong social interaction in the same way that a campfire does," says Joby CEO Forrest Baringer-Jones, "Our deep research into the needs of skiing, surfing and climbing guides as well as extreme backpackers inspired us to create an entirely new product that combines a lightweight headlamp with a social lantern utilizing the same LED lighting engine. Our friends on the mountain told us their existing solutions didn’t work, so this piece of revolutionary design is for them and many others."

The Gorillatorch Switchback comes with 5 LEDS (including a 130-lumen CREE XLamp XP-G LED spotlight), 6 brightness settings, and an adjustable dimmer switch.

Joby says the device is powerful enough to illuminate an 8-person family tent or even a small cabin, and when switched to headlamp mode, can illuminate a trail up to 60 feet ahead.

The Switchback is available now for $60.

Image Credit: Joby